... the most well-known example is incremental repetition, in which a phrase or stanza is repeated numerous times with a little but substantial substitution at the same vital location. A stazza is a poetry division composed of two or more lines grouped as a unit. The term comes from Italian and means "a lift".
Incremental repetition was very popular in medieval English poetry, when poets would copy large portions of prose works (such as biblical stories) into their own poems. These copied segments were called enjambments and often ended with a sentence that could be its own stanza, allowing for further expansion. For example, if the copied story included the line "King David heard an ox cry out", the poet might repeat this line numerous times with slight variations (as in "King David heard an ox cry out, / King David heard an ox cry out, / King David heard an ox cry out..."). Although modern readers may find such repetitions tedious, they provide essential contrast to break up the monotony of reading only one long poem.
Another form of incremental repetition is internal repetition, in which the same word or phrase is used repeatedly at different locations within the text. This type of repetition can be useful in creating a pattern that carries through the whole work or section of text.
Repetition in poetry is described as the repetition of words, phrases, lines, or stanzas. Stanzas are contiguous clusters of lines. Repetition is used to highlight a sentiment or concept, generate rhythm, and/or instill a sense of urgency. The more times we read something, the more it stays in our minds.
Repetition can be used in two different ways in poems: internally and externally. When using internal repetition, the same word or phrase is repeated within the poem. This helps create a cohesive feeling for the reader, because they can follow each line effortlessly without getting confused by different words or ideas. For example, if one line reads "The rain came down like crazy that night," and the next line repeats this idea but with "thunder" instead of "crazy," the scene would not make much sense because there's too much difference between the two lines. However, if both lines used internal repetition, then the poem would feel much more coherent because the reader knows what's coming next and could follow each line easily without being distracted.
When using external repetition, an additional piece of information is added to the poem each time it is repeated. For example, if one line of a sonnet reads "My love is like a red rose," and the next line adds "with thorns," repeating this idea twice means that the poet is saying that love can be dangerous.
A poem, for example, may begin with the same lines, or it may repeat a stanza numerous times, creating a chorus or "refrain." The term "repetition" refers to the act of repeating something in a poem. Repetition draws the reader's attention to a particular notion, idea, or feeling. Using different techniques, such as variation or imitation, poets can draw readers' attention to different aspects of their work.
Repetition has a powerful effect on readers because it calls attention to what is being said. This attracts readers' minds into the text, making it easier for them to understand and remember what is going on.
In addition to drawing readers' attention to certain words or ideas, repetition can also help them relate to the text. For example, one section of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet contains many examples of repetition: both characters speak often of their love for each other, their families, and their homes. By repeating these words, Shakespeare allows readers to connect with Romeo and Juliet on an emotional level. This helps them feel like part of the story even though they are standing outside of it reading about it.
Poetry is known for its repetitive elements. A poem may use allusion, analogy, assonance, meter, rhyme, or syllabic count as tools for repetition. While some poems contain only a few instances of repetition, others use multiple methods at once to keep readers' eyes moving across the page.
Repetition is a literary method in which a word or phrase is used again or more in a speech or written work for emphasis. Repeating the same words or phrases in a poem or prose piece might help to clarify a concept and/or make it memorable to the reader.
Repetition can be used in a variety of ways within a poem to create different effects on the reader. A poem that uses only one form of repetition (e.g., repeated words) would be simple, straightforward language. A poem that uses multiple forms of repetition (e.g., repeated images, sounds, and meaning) would be complex language. Complex poems tend to appeal to readers with refined palates, while simple poems are easier to read and understand for a broader audience.
Repeated words and phrases can be effective tools for emphasizing particular ideas in a poem. For example, if you want to highlight the beauty of nature, you could use this technique by repeating the word "beautiful" several times in a poem. This would make the reader stop and take notice of each instance where the word "beautiful" appears.
Another way in which poets have used repetition to great effect is by repeating lines from other works. For example, William Blake wrote a series of poems based on Milton's Paradise Lost, and he used repetition to great effect by repeating line fragments from both his sources and also including some of his own words.
In poetry, repetition occurs when specific words, phrases, lines, or full stanzas are repeated throughout the poem. Repetition strengthens or emphasizes the topic being repeated. Read this fun poetry-writing course if you want to write your own repetition poems. All of these poems make use of repetition. Try writing your own repetition poems.
Repetition is a literary method in which the same word or phrase is used again in a piece of writing or speech. This can be to emphasize a point, list items, or simply because the writer or speaker ran out of things to say.
The most common form of repetition in English literature is polysyllabic words and phrases being repeated (often in boldface type) for emphasis. For example: "Faster! Faster!"; "A bear! A BEAR! There's a bear in my garden!"; "One day Jesus will come down off his throne and come walking up the street right toward me."
This form of repetition can be effective in creating tension or excitement in a reader/listener. It's also used in advertising to attract attention or make a point without using too many words.
There are several other forms of repetition in literature that do not involve repeating whole words or phrases.
The recurrence of words and phrases with a specific impact is the one that best describes word repetition in epic poetry. This occurrence is often used to evoke an emotion in the audience or add tension during a fight scene.
Epic poems such as The Iliad and The Odyssey use word repetition to great effect. In both poems, there are several scenes where the action is interrupted while certain characters discuss events from earlier in the battle or voyage. These discussions often include references to things that have just happened on screen, making them seem like part of the ongoing battle or voyage. For example, in the first episode of The Iliad, Achilles discusses his anger with Hera after she helps Zeus win the war by sending a cloud over Greece that hides the sun. In another scene, Zeus himself interrupts the battle to tell Hera that he has decided not to punish Achilles for talking to him before fighting him. These examples show that epic poets used word repetition to highlight important moments in the story while still allowing the action to continue.
In addition to these dramatic interruptions, epic poems usually contain sections called stanzas. Each stanza usually includes three lines that rhyme but have different meanings.